Many casino games include players playing against the casino to obtain a player hand having a value closer to a target value than the house hand. For example, Baccarat, Blackjack, Spanish Twenty-One, and the like all fit this pattern.
Blackjack is a well known card game played in casinos. The object of the game is to have a final hand total closer to twenty-one than the dealer's hand without exceeding twenty-one. For purposes of calculating the final hand total, each card has a value equal to its face value except face cards, which have a value of ten, and aces, which may have a value of eleven or one as the player selects or as required to prevent the player from exceeding twenty-one. In conventional Blackjack, the suit of the cards is not relevant to the outcome of the game.
The form of Blackjack played in casinos is played between a dealer, representing the house, and at least one player. In a typical Blackjack game, each player makes a wager in a wagering area on a playing surface. The dealer deals two cards to each player and two cards, one card face up and the other face down, to himself or herself. Any player receiving a natural twenty-one or Blackjack, i.e. a total of twenty-one in the initial dealt hand, is immediately rewarded, typically at a rate of 2:1 or 3:2, and play is terminated as to that player. Each remaining player examines his or her hand and decides whether to hit, i.e. receive another card, or stand, i.e. receive no further cards and finish play with the player's current hand. A player may hit as many times as the player wishes as long as the player does not bust, i.e. have a cumulative total greater than twenty-one. When a player busts, that player's wager is immediately collected and play is terminated as to that player.
A player may also have additional options available depending on the initial hand dealt and the house rules. For example, a player may have the option of “doubling down.” Although the availability of the double down option varies depending on each casino's house rules, the option allows a player to double the player's wager in exchange for a single additional card. Some house rules permit doubling down on initial hand totals of ten or eleven only, other house rules permit doubling down on any initial hand total.
Another option available to a player is the option of “splitting.” If a player receives a pair, i.e. two cards having the same face value, in his initial hand, most house rules permit the player to split the pair and use each card as a basis for a separate hand. For example, if a player is dealt a pair of eights, the player may choose to split the pair and continue play with two hands each having an eight and an additional dealt card as an initial hand. Each of those individual hands is then played independently by hitting, standing, or, under some house rules, doubling down or further splitting.
After all the players have played their hands, the dealer reveals the face-down card in the dealer's hand and completes the dealer's hand according to established house rules. That is, the casino uses established rules to eliminate the dealer's discretion. The dealer hits or stands as the house rules dictate, and resolves the wagers. In resolving the wagers, players with a final hand total closer to twenty-one than the dealer's final hand total are rewarded at even money. Conversely, wagers are collected from players with a final hand total further from twenty-one than the dealer's final hand total. If the dealer busts, all players who did not bust or receive a Blackjack are rewarded at even money. If the player and dealer push, i.e. have the same final hand total, the player's wager is returned.
One drawback to conventional Blackjack is that the payouts are small compared to other games. In conventional Blackjack, the greatest payout a player can expect is 2:1 or 3:2 for a natural twenty-one or Blackjack. One method devised to address this drawback and increase the excitement and potential win for Blackjack players is for the player to make an additional wager to participate in a bonus feature.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,730, issued to Pike, discloses a side wager for Blackjack in which players are immediately rewarded for obtaining card sequences independent and separate from the Blackjack game. The winning bonus sequence may include only two cards, such as a pair of cards or consecutive cards, or it may include multiple cards. The player may earn a bonus reward even if he or she loses the Blackjack game itself.
However, the game of Pike has drawbacks. First, participation in the bonus of Pike requires a player to make a supplemental wager. Such a requirement is likely to reduce participation and make bonus payouts infrequent.
Also, when a player chooses to participate in the bonus of Pike, the player must designate a specific bonus outcome and will only be rewarded if the correct bonus outcome occurs. In other words, a player participating in the bonus of Pike must place a supplemental wager to become eligible for a bonus payout and also designate which bonus payout he or she expects, such as a pair, a straight, a flush, or the like. The player is only rewarded on the bonus wager if he or she designates the correct bonus outcome; thus, a player who places his or her bonus wager on a pair but receives a straight will not be rewarded.
Another drawback of Pike is that the bonus game and the Blackjack game are independent from one another. Thus, a player may become eligible for a bonus payout at any point during game play and, in fact, without regard to whether the player wins or loses the Blackjack game itself. For example, if a player places a bonus wager on a straight and receives a seven and an eight, he may be rewarded on the bonus wager. However, if the player hits and busts, he loses the base Blackjack game even though he or she won, and will be rewarded on, the bonus wager. Attempting to keep all the payouts and wagers straight can be confusing for the dealer and player alike and can slow game play and lead to mistakes in payouts.
A similar Blackjack bonus game is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,077 to Jones. Jones '077 discloses a side wager for blackjack in which players receive a progressive jackpot reward for receiving a variety of hands including straights, suited combinations, and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,731, also to Jones, likewise discloses a side wager for Blackjack in which players receive a progressive jackpot reward for receiving three aces during the play of the player's hand. The drawbacks to Jones '077 and Jones '731 are the player must, once again, make a side wager to become eligible for the progressive jackpot and that the progressive payouts must be tracked by the dealer and carried over to each successive game. Again, this can be a burden on the dealer and reduce his or her efficiency and number of games dealt per time period.
Yet another bonus scheme is disclosed in Lofink, U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,888. Lofink discloses a game in which a bonus is paid for receiving various combinations of cards that add to twenty-one, such as three sevens, three suited sevens, six-seven-eight, and so forth. However, bonus payouts will be infrequent in such a bonus scheme because the only bonus combinations disclosed add to twenty-one. Also, there is no added excitement for the player because a sum of twenty-one already guarantees the player at least a push.
Thus, it can be seen that there is a need in the art for a modified card game method based on well known games such as Blackjack that provides for large payouts tied to the outcome of the base game with or without the need for side wagers.